Our Clinicians
Associate Professor Josephine Grace
MB ChB MRCP FRACP PhD
Dr Josephine Grace is a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at the Austin Hospital. She emigrated from the UK to Australia in 2004 and has over 20 years of experience in general medicine and gastroenterology with specialist qualifications in both countries. She also holds a PhD in liver disease, completed at the University of Melbourne, and has been granted awards for her research from the Gastroenterology Society of Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. She regularly presents at local and international gastroenterology and hepatology conferences and has publications in top ranking journals.
Josephine has a particular interest in liver disease, viral hepatitis, coeliac disease and functional bowel disease including irritable bowel syndrome, and is happy to consult on a broad range of gastroenterology and hepatology disorders. She also welcomes open access referrals for gastroscopy or colonoscopy, which she performs at Warringal Hospital or at The Victorian Gut Centre in Bundoora. She is available to discuss patients with GPs and other specialists by telephone and can usually accommodate urgent patients at short notice
Associate Professor Adam Testro
MBBS PhD FRACP
Dr Adam Testro is a staff specialist gastroenterologist at Austin Health and The Victorian Liver Transplant Unit. Adam graduated with honours from The University of Melbourne School of Medicine in 1999. He was trained at both St Vincent’s Hospital and Austin Health. Following completion of his gastroenterology training he undertook a PhD in liver transplantation immunology, for which he was awarded a GESA Postgraduate Clinical Research Scholarship. In 2009 Adam was fortunate enough to take up a position at the world renowned Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute in Pittsburgh, USA where he received further training in Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation, and forged strong international collaborations. In 2010 he became Head of Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation at Austin Health, the only centre in Australia currently undertaking intestinal transplantation. Adam continues to participate in clinical research and is involved in a number of NHMRC funded projects. He regularly presents his research findings at national and international conferences, and has numerous publications.
Adam is available to consult in all aspects of gastroenterology, including endoscopy, colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy. As with the other specialists at Gastrocare, he will endeavour to see new consultations with minimal delay, and facilitate their care in an efficient yet relaxed manner.
Associate Professor Rhys Vaughan
MBBS PhD FRACP AFRACMA FGESA SpecCertClinLead
Dr Vaughan is a senior gastroenterologist at the Austin Hospital where he holds the position of Director of Endoscopy and Medical Director of Surgery, Anaesthesia and Procedural Medicine. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne. Rhys’ early training was in hepatology, obtaining a PhD exploring the alterations in vascular physiology in advanced cirrhosis, work which was undertaken at the Baker Medical Research Institute, University of Melbourne and Austin Hospital. He subsequently developed and expanded on his skills in interventional endoscopy before completing an advanced endoscopic fellowship in the USA at the Medical University of South Carolina with a particular focus on endoscopic ultrasound. Rhys’ current research interests include training, pancreatic cancer screening, advanced endoscopic interventions & endoscopic management of liver transplant patients.
Dr Ola Niewiadomski
MBBS (hons) FRACP PhD
Dr Ola Niewiadomski is a gastroenterologist who combines private practice with a senior medical specialist appointment at a major public hospital (Eastern Health). Ola studied Medicine at Monash University, graduating with honours in 2004. After finishing her Gastroenterology training in Melbourne, she completed a fellowship in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) at St Vincent’s hospital along with postgraduate degree (PhD) through the University of Melbourne. Ola was granted the Australian Postgraduate Award, as well as an international award (ECCO Young Investigator Award) for her research, and has published in local and international journals. She maintains a clinical and research interest in Crohn’s and Ulcerative colitis (IBD) and is the Principal Investigator for pharmaceutical clinical trials at Eastern Health. Ola also holds an Adjunct Senior Lecturer position at Monash University. She retains a broad range of interests in all areas of gastroenterology including inflammatory bowel disease, bowel cancer surveillance, irritable bowel syndrome, reflux disease, eosinophilic oesophagitis, nutrition, hepatology, endoscopy, colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy.
Dr Jon Abdelmalak
MBBS FRACP
Jonathan is a gastroenterologist with public appointments at Austin Health and the Alfred Hospital, where he is active in teaching and research. After graduating with first class honours from Monash University, Jonathan underwent his advanced gastroenterology training at the Alfred and Austin Hospitals, including a subspecialty liver fellowship year. He is currently undertaking a PhD in liver cancer through Monash University with multiple presentations to date at national and international conferences. Jonathan maintains a broad interest in all aspects of gastroenterology, including gastroscopy, colonoscopy, disorders of gut-brain interaction and liver disease, and has a focus on patient education and patient-centred decision making.